:strip_icc()/bhg-hands-washing-shrimp-da18e2521301405883e040707379dc82.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,0&ssl=1 "Should You Wash Shrimp? 5 Seafood Experts Answer")
Although it pales in comparison to our consumption of chicken and beef (101 pounds and 58 pounds per person per year, according to USDA estimates), Americans are eating an increasingly substantial amount of fish and seafood. Back in 1990, the typical U.S. adult ate about 15 pounds of fish and seafood per year, the USDA confirms. By 2021, that average jumped to 21 pounds annually.
This shift is terrific for our tickers—fish and seafood are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fats—and for our taste buds. But it isn’t always easy to know exactly how to prepare these diverse sea proteins. So today, we’re diving into a question that we’re often asked by readers about the most popular seafood in America: shrimp. Should you wash shrimp before adding it to, say, a shrimp cocktail or seafood boil?
Read on for the unanimous answer verified by five seafood-savvy chefs and food safety experts. Whether you’re starting with fresh or frozen, deveined or not; these tips for what to do before cooking shrimp will come in handy.
Should You Wash Shrimp?
After polling our panel of chefs, we’ve reeled in your answer: No, it’s not essential to wash shrimp before preparing it. But if it makes you feel better, dive in and do so. (Just be sure to follow our pointers below for how to wash shrimp so you keep things food safe and don’t end up with flavorless shellfish.)
“Similar to washing or rinsing meat and poultry, it’s not required for safety, and can actually spread bacteria instead,” explains Meredith Carothers, food safety specialist for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service in Washington D.C.
In case you missed it, there’s a small risk that shrimp may be contaminated with bacteria, such as listeria or salmonella. This could lead to a foodborne illness if the shellfish is not cooked to at least 145°F, per the USDA, or if any splatters from that seafood makes its way onto other items you later eat.
Washing shrimp too much or too early can also dilute the flavor, adds Nathan Davis, executive chef and sommelier at Polished Chef in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Shrimp absorb the water around them, which is why they’re so flavorful after being marinated. (Our Marinated Shrimp Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing is delicious proof. One fan deems the easy lunch idea, “scrumptious and easy.”).
Most commercially-available shrimp are peeled, deveined, and pre-brined to help inhibit bacterial growth, explains Lucas McKinney, executive chef at Josephine’s in Houston Texas. If this is true of the shrimp you selected, you definitely have a green light from our experts to jump ahead to recipe prep; no washing required. Fully thawed shrimp is also A-OK to use as-is.
Test Kitchen Tip: Deveining involves removing the dark-colored intestinal tract that runs along the center of the curved portion of the shrimp. This vein is not harmful to eat, although it can impart a gritty texture or unpleasant flavor, so many cooks prefer deveined shrimp.
That being said, there are a couple occasions when it may be worthwhile to wash shrimp before adding them to a dish. Consider rinsing if:
- You peeled and deveined the shrimp yourself, and see residual debris you’d like to remove
- You’re starting with partially-thawed frozen shrimp, are in a hurry, and would like to thaw any remaining ice crystals
Test Kitchen Tip: You can thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator in about 24 hours. Or to quickly thaw frozen shrimp, add the shellfish in its unopened package to a bowl of cool water. Use a small plate or other object to keep the shrimp submerged. Refresh the cool water every 10 minutes until the shrimp are de-iced.
“If your shrimp feels slimy or smells ‘sour,’ don’t attempt to rinse it off,” says Sarah Brekke, M.S., Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen brand manager. “This is a sign that the shrimp are no longer safe for consumption,” and should be discarded.
5 Tips For Washing Shrimp, if You Choose to Do So
Prefer to rinse? Keep these pointers in mind for how to wash shrimp:
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds. Use warm water and soap to scrub your hands before starting.
- Always wash shrimp with cold water. “This helps preserve their texture and freshness,” McKinney says.
- Don’t rinse too early. “If you wash, do so just before preparing the recipe, but long enough to allow the shrimp to drain well for 7 to 10 minutes before starting your recipe,” suggests Tim Creehan, chef-owner of Cuvee 30A in Inlet Beach, Florida. Transfer rinsed shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to allow the moisture to stream away.
- Pat dry. There may still be some water hanging out on the surface of your shrimp, so at this point, use paper towels to pat the shrimp as dry as possible so it doesn’t boil in any residual rinsing water (or add any flavor-diluting water to your raw preparation, such as ceviche). “To achieve a rich color when cooking, it’s important to avoid excess moisture. Ensuring the shrimp are dry will allow them to sear properly, enhancing both flavor and appearance,” McKinney says.
- Make sure to fully clean and sanitize surfaces after. Carothers says that this is key to keep your kitchen safe from potential contamination.
